In 1921, industrial engineers Frank and Lillian Gilbreth introduced the “Flow Process Chart” to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). They are related to other popular diagrams, such as Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) and Unified Modeling Language (UML) Activity Diagrams.įlowcharts to document business processes came into use in the 1920s and ‘30s. Flowcharts are sometimes called by more specialized names such as Process Flowchart, Process Map, Functional Flowchart, Business Process Mapping, Business Process Modeling and Notation (BPMN), or Process Flow Diagram (PFD). If we consider all the various forms of flowcharts, they are one of the most common diagrams on the planet, used by both technical and non-technical people in numerous fields.
They can range from simple, hand-drawn charts to comprehensive computer-drawn diagrams depicting multiple steps and routes.
Flowcharts, sometimes spelled as flow charts, use rectangles, ovals, diamonds and potentially numerous other shapes to define the type of step, along with connecting arrows to define flow and sequence. They are widely used in multiple fields to document, study, plan, improve and communicate often complex processes in clear, easy-to-understand diagrams. A flowchart is a diagram that depicts a process, system or computer algorithm.
